Current
Projects

The Conservation Fund and other partners have protected critical land near California’s Santa Cruz Mountains, preserving key ecosystems and connecting vital mountain lion habitat. This milestone is part of a multi-year effort to build a wildlife crossing over Highway 101, helping to prevent road fatalities and ensure the survival of these iconic animals.  

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Thanks to collaboration with POST  and Wildlife Conservation Network, additional land is now preserved. The property will eventually be cared for by SBALT to fill a gap between already protected properties. The expansion empowers local ranchers, supports Indigenous communities, and ensures the safety and protection of California's plants and animals. To donate toward this acquisition, click here.

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Stay tuned for more updates on this project! 📢 

The Agricultural Element of the General Plan is a new component of the General Plan that is being developed. Development of the Agricultural Element includes compiling reports regarding soil classification, hydrology, economic analyses, and other relevant factors which will inform the policies of the Ag Element.

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This effort is intended to strengthen the County’s support for agriculture, including rangelands, and the long-term viability of the agricultural economy. The reports and the Agricultural Element are expected to include:

• Identification of intrinsic values of farmland that are of high value in addition to food production.

• Identifying farmland at risk of conversion or loss.

• Identifying high priority agricultural lands for conservation.

• Conservation strategies and approaches.

• General Plan policies related to agriculture.

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This element is being developed as part of the Sustainable Agricultural Lands Conservation (SALC) program, which provides funding to help prevent the conversion of agricultural lands to non-agricultural uses. The goal is to create policies that ensure long-term agricultural productivity, preserve open spaces, and support the local economy. Read more about the Stakeholder Planning Group here:

Ag Element Stakeholder Planning Group | San Benito County, CA

 

UC Cooperative Extension, San Benito Agricultural Land Trust, the San Benito RCD, and other partners have recently updated the Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP). In 2025 we are embarking on the development of the Regional Priority Plan (RPP) for San Benito County.

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The CWPP will serve as a roadmap for prioritizing hazardous fuels reduction and other fire prevention activities to improve community resilience to wildfires. The RPP will describe the existing conditions of wildlands in the county and will recommend a set of priority projects aimed at reducing risk and damage to sensitive resources and communities. Having an RPP is a key requirement for continuing and expanding the region’s funding for wildfire mitigation related projects.

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This project is funded by a block grant awarded to the State Coastal Conservancy through the California Department of Conservation.

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Photo by Bob Connolly